282 THE MANUFACTURE OF WmE. 



same table^ imported ty myself from the place where made^ the 

 company could not distinguish the one from the other. I think 

 it would be well to push the culture of that grape, without 

 losing our time and efforts in search of foreign vines, which it 

 will take centuries to adapt to our soil and climate." 



Dated April 20th, 1819. 



" The quality of the bottle you sent me before satisfies m*3 

 that we have at length found one native grape inured to all 

 the accidents of our climate, which will give us a wine worthy 

 the best vineyards of France. When you did me the favor of 

 sending me the former bottle, I placed it on the table with some 

 of the l)eet Burgundy of Chamberlin, which I had imported, 

 myself from the maTcer of it, and desiring the company to point 

 out which was the American lottle, it was acknowledged they 

 c>ould perceive no difference." 



Dated April 11, 1838. 



" I received successively two bottles of wine you were so 

 kind as to send me; the first, called Tokay, is truly a fine wine, 

 of high flavor, and as you assure me there was not a drop of 

 brandy or- other spirit added to it, I may say it is a wine of a 

 good body of it« own. The second bottle, a red wine, I tried 

 when I had good judges at the table; we agreed it was a wine 

 one might always drinh with satisfaction, but of no peculiar 

 excellence. Speaking of brandy being added to the wine, he 

 says it is never done but by the exporting merchants, and then 

 only for the English and Arnerican markets, where, by a viti- 

 ated taste, ^the intoxicating quality of wine, more than its flavor, 

 is required by the palate." 



Xow Mr. Jefferson and his friends were no doubt 

 accustomed to drink good wines, and we tliink their 

 opinions valuable, although at tlie same time it must 

 be confessed that thej were not very extraordinary 



